Candy Cane Sugar Scrub

As I was brainstorming the other day, thinking about switching out the honeysuckle oil in my Semisoft Honeysuckle Soap with peppermint oil, it occurred to me that I could try making something new altogether...a sugar scrub! Even better, a peppermint CANDY CANE SUGAR SCRUB! I had never made a sugar scrub before, but I figured it couldn't be too hard and I was right...this one is easy peasy! What a beautiful, fun, tasty-smelling gift to give to friends this holiday season!

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup olive oil (you could also use coconut or almond oil)

1 tsp peppermint oil

red food coloring

candy cane (optional)

Materials needed:

-2 jars

-spoons

-fork

-rolling pin

-freezer bag

-mixing bowls

-thin cardboard (old cereal box...optional)

-scissors

First, put the 2 cups of sugar in a large bowl and slowing add the olive oil while mixing with a fork. The texture of the sugar scrub should be similar to wet sand. 

Next, add the peppermint oil and mix thoroughly.

Once the sugar scrub smells like a delicious candy cane, divide the sugar scrub and put half of the mixture into a separate bowl. Add about 10 drops of red food coloring to one of the bowls and mix thoroughly. 

Place your candy cane into a freezer bag (either the gallon or quart-size). Crush it finely with a rolling pin. Add the candy cane dust to the red sugar scrub mixture.

Now you have to decide how you'd like your sugar scrub to look in the jar...either a layered, candy cane effect or a peppermint candy swirl.

To make the layered jar, it's pretty self-explanatory...just spoon some white sugar scrub in the jar, pat it down and spoon some of the red sugar scrub on top. Pat that layer down and repeat until the jar is full!

To maker a peppermint swirl, it takes a little more time, but is still rather easy. First, cut the cereal box-cardboard into three equally sized strips. Make sure they all fit across, inside the jar. 

Next, cut about half an inch off the top of one strip. Cut a full inch off another strip. The shortest strip should be the height of the jar, not any shorter. 

Now, with the middle sized strip and the tallest strip, make a vertical cut up the middle of the cardboard, leaving the top half-inch uncut. Place the shortest strip of cardboard inside the jar. Next, slide the mid-sized strip down on top of the shortest one. Follow with the tallest strip. Arrange the cardboard, so the jar is equally divided.

Next, carefully fill each section using a small spoon. Baby spoons work great, but if you don't have one you could always roll some paper into a funnel-shape and use that.

Once the jar is filled and you've gently pressed down on the sugar scrub, very carefully removed the cardboard pieces one at a time. Voila! A peppermint swirl! 

L and I took a shower together this morning to try out our new CANDY CANE SUGAR SCRUB creation...amazing! And fun! The sugar gently exfoliates the skin, leaving it nice and smooth. This sugar scrub smells good enough to eat! 

Enjoy some pampering amidst all the craziness this holiday season!